Stoughton voters Tuesday ousted two incumbent selectmen, including the board chairman, and two incumbent school committee members, sweeping a slate of challengers into office.

David Sousa and Joseph Mokrisky, with 1,868 votes and 1,591 votes, respectively, were elected to two, three-year selectmen terms. Incumbent selectman John Anzivino, the board chairman, garnered 960 votes, not enough to win re-election to a third term. Incumbent Selectman Stephen Anastos did not seek re-election.

Sousa said he was born in Stoughton and it is a great feeling that people believe in him.

"It's an honor and a privilege to represent the town and the people in it," he said.

Mokrisky, who was first elected as a selectman in 1992, has made a comeback to the board after an absence. He said he plans to repay the trust of voters with good, hard work.

"I'm just happy to be elected once again," he said.

Joaquin Soares Jr., with 1418 votes, and Mari-Kate Pina-Enokian, with 1,377 votes, were elected to two, three-year school committee terms.

Incumbent school committee members Deborah Sovinee, with 940 votes, and George Dolinsky, with 900 votes, were not re-elected. Challenger Randy Yanoff finished fifth, with 338 votes.

Soares said he thanked people who voted for him and those who did not vote for him.

"I work for all of them," he said. "I feel very good. People have confidence in me to elect me."

Pina-Enokian said she was thrilled.

"I just want to thank everyone and I will be faithful to my promise and work hard for my children," she said.

Dolinsky, who will finish his first term, said the winning campaigns got the anti-incumbent vote out, and he was a little disappointed with the outcome.

"There's always next year. I haven't closed the door to running again next year," he said. "I'm saving my signs."

In all, 2,911 ballots were cast – or 16 percent of eligible voters.

NEW SELECTMEN

A few dozen people sat in the Great Hall at Town Hall as Jeffrey Pickette of Stoughton Media Access Corp. and former interim Town Manager Joseph Feaster interviewed candidates for a live election TV broadcast.

Sousa said he would like to settle contracts the police, fire, public works and town hall employee unions. He said he would like to see more police officers and firefighters, and three ambulances running continuously.

Sousa said now is the time to be truthful and transparent.

"I'm just a representative like anyone else in this town," he said. "Let's make this our town."

"I'm very green at this one," he said. "I will give my heart and soul to this town. ... I am proud to be from Stoughton. I am Stoughton proud."

Mokrisky will start his fifth term in that office.

Page 2 of 3 - He said he saw an outpouring of upset municipal employees, and voters sent a message that they did not like what they were seeing, especially with the ouster of a six-year incumbent board chairman.

Mokrisky said selectmen were not there to run town hall but to set policy, and to support and set goals for the town manager and department heads. Town employees are not hacks but neighbors and fellow taxpayers, he said.

"It needs to be a board that works together," he said. "It's up to us to change how the board of selectmen is viewed."

Mokrisky said his biggest accomplishments as a selectman was the hiring of the police chief and the re-charging of the Events Committee.

"You are here to do the job of the people," he said. "You have to make a difference for the average resident."

Both Mokrisky and Sousa said they would vote to appoint selectman T.J. Recupero as board chairman. Mokrisky said he likes Recupero's mannerisms and vision for the town, and the way he interacts with others.

Both Soares and Pina-Enokian said they would vote to appoint incumbent school committee member Erdem Ural as school board chairman.

"He's a very, very intelligent man," Soares said.

NEW SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Pina-Enokian said settling the contract with teachers is a big issue.

"We have to treat them with respect," she said.

Soares said he wants to see $355,000 cut from a teacher line item restored in the budget. He said he does not believe the school committee would vote for a contract which calls for a 24 percent increase. The next scheduled school committee meeting is on April 29, but Soares said he would like for the board to meet sooner.

"I'm just getting my feet wet," he said.

Pina-Enokian said she will work for respect.

"With a respectful relationship with everyone, you can go far," she said. "Just a little bit of respect goes a long way."

Both Soares and Pina-Enokian said they respect school Superintendent Marguerite Rizzi.

"She's a very smart lady," Pina-Enokian said.

Soares and Pina-Enokian said something needs to be done with the high school in order to add science labs and make the building more accessible to the handicapped.

"There's no doubt about it. The high school needs repair," Pina-Enokian said.

Soares said Stoughton needs a new high school, library, police station, fire station and South School.

"We need all of those things. We really need to have a 20-year plan," he said.

Dolinsky has served on a negotiating team which has worked with the teachers union for the past year on a new contract.

He said management has made four or five offers, but all were rejected by the teacher union.

Page 3 of 3 - Dolinsky said the union is seeking step and cost of living adjustments that would raise pay by 24 percent over three years, and would require an additional $500,000 in spending in next year's budget.

He warned that giving the union that would result in teacher layoffs, with younger teachers going first, in order to balance the budget.

"The percentage is out there. Nobody gives out raises like that," he said.